§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the Medical Research Council considers, when accrediting establishments for the breeding of animals for scientific research overseas, that it is part of its duty to satisfy itself about the legal controls governing the treatment of such animals in the countries to which they are exported.
§ Mr. MulleyNo. The Medical Research Council's accreditation and recognition schemes are designed to encourage an adequate supply of high160W quality laboratory animals for biomedical research and teaching in this country. The schemes operate on the basis of voluntary acceptance by breeders and suppliers of standards of husbandry, microbiological screening and genetic monitoring laid down by the council. Neither scheme seeks to control a breeder's choice of customer.